Please help New to Apple and never going back to PC

[cellrepair4you]

OK here we go. As I stated I am new to the whole Mac thing. I got a IBOOK G3 really cheap. I am a hardware tech for cell phones and bought this due to the logic board failure that the G3 is famous for. After fixing the video issue I love this thing. It was about 5 times faster than my desk top I use to program my phones with. I have been using it non stop for about 2 days now. Putting it threw its paces. Well I think I have problems....lol

Stats...800 mhz 640 mb 30ghhd

1. The thing had not been updated for a couple years so I did this updating everything.
Now for my problem...

1. The HHD started popping lastnight. I know what that means NEW HHD..Woo Hoo.
2. The net started going really slow. Another sign my hhd is going.

My question is If I replace the hhd with a 320gig and upgrade the ram to 1 gig can I boot from my drive with the disc? Or do I need to copy my current hhd to the new one. I really would like to start fresh new everything. I want to put OS X 10.5. If I have to copy can I use my 320 external seagate I use with my Cell flashes to copy my HHD? I tried once and it said my seagate could not be modded? What am I doing wrong? I love this thing and dont mind spending the time to make it soar but right now my apple is rotten....Thank you in advance.
1. One more thing how hot should the bottom of this thing get. Its pretty warm.

 

[spinnerlys]

The maximum RAM for that G3 iBook is 640MB RAM.
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/ibook/stats/ibook_800_2.html

The HDD size is 2.5" and the interface is P-ATA (IDE).
http://www.google.com/products?q=320gb+2.5+ide&hl=de&aq=f

To re-install the OS, boot from the restore DVD or CD and follow the steps.
You can also clone the old to the new HDD, but it wouldn't be fresh.

Also Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) needs a G4 CPU with 867MHZ at minimum, albeit others have managed to install that OS on lower models.

I, and many others here, advise against using 10.5 and recommend Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther) or 10.4 (Tiger) to install.

That iBook probably came with Mac OS X 10.2 (Jaguar), which in my eyes is still buggy and Mac OS X 10.3 is the first true and workable version of Mac OS X.

Btw, the bottom will get hot due to the small form factor and the CPU being hot.

 

[doktordoris]

Why should slow web access indicate a HDD failure?

Are you really a mobile phone tech?

doris

 

[g3powerbook boy]

i dont think slow web access indicates a hard drive failure, however popping noises sure do.

 

[cellrepair4you]

Why should slow web access indicate a HDD failure?

Are you really a mobile phone tech?

doris

Well slow net would not be a tell tail, but clicking and popping would be. The slow output of data would be an effect of the failing drive. On a different note thank you for the info. I read somewhere that people have been using 1gig ram cards in the 800 and 900 models of the G3. with the added 1 gig and the stock 128 coupled with the 320 hhd not only would the unit be able to run faster but under a lot less stress. Like I said I have no Idea thats why I asked the question..... Please everyone feel free to chime in... The more info I have the better it will go Im sure

 

[Bacong]

I would not recommend 10.5 on a g3.

 

[BlueRevolution]

10.4 runs decently if a bit sluggishly on my 500 MHz iBook G3 (see signature). As Bacong says, I wouldn't recommend trying to run 10.5.